Every year,NFLfans get a new sense of hope for the championship chances of their favorite team.Madden NFL 23is this year’s version of the series that provides the only way for NFL fans to get their fix in video game form. Another form of hype fans build during the NFL offseason has to do with all of the rookies their team grabbed through the 2022 NFL Draft and undrafted free agency.Madden 23is the first place they get to see these guys in action outside of practice and preseason.
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This year’s draft was loaded with defensive talent, and there are plenty of potential superstars looking to make immediate impacts on the defensive side of the ball. It’s good to take a look at some of the guys who could contend for the coveted 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
8Arnold Ebiketie, Edge (Falcons)
The Atlanta Falcons are an organization that has failed to produce a real pass rush on opposing quarterbacks for the better part of the last two decades. They’re hoping that Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie manages to fix that issue as a rookie.
Despite being taken in the first round, many NFL scouts thought Ebiketie possessed the tools to become one of the better edge defenders in the entirety of the 2022 NFL Draft class. He’ll have plenty of opportunity in Atlanta as Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees is focused on turning a lackluster defense into one that’s both feared and respected by the rest of the NFL.
7Kyler Gordon, DB (Bears)
Kyler Gordon, the rookie cornerback for the Chicago Bears, looks to be a versatile defensive back that the team will work in at both outside corner and nickelback. He attributes his phenomenal football and change of direction to a background in both dance and ballet. The Bears will be playing two rookie defensive backs this season, and both have shown an ability and willingness to force turnovers and cause chaos for offenses.
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There’s a real chance that both of them breaking out in their rookie campaigns could take away from either of them winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year, but it sure would make the city of Chicago excited for the future.
6Travon Walker, Edge (Jaguars)
Travon Walker ended up being the number one pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and it’s divided on whether or not people think the Jacksonville Jaguars made the right move.
Walker played on an ultra-talented defensive unit at the University of Georgia but didn’t come out of college with the production numbers expected out of an edge defender that goes as the top pick in the entire draft. It’s all about the upside with Walker, and if he can deliver opposite of defensive end Josh Allen, then the Jaguars will have the last laugh when it comes to opinions on their draft strategy.
5Derek Stingley Jr., DB (Texans)
A cornerbackbeing drafted in the top three picks of an NFL Draft is unheard of, but that’s exactly what the Houston Texans decided to do. Derek Stingley Jr. will be a key part to Head Coach Love Smith’s Tampa 2 defensive scheme. Corners have always been pivotal to this system, as was Charles Tillman for the Chicago Bears and Ronde Barber for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stingley Jr. showcased world-class talent at the position his freshman year at LSU, and if he delivers anything close to that for the Texans, he could easily be a contender for the coveted Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
4Kyle Hamilton, S (Ravens)
Coming into the 2022 NFL Draft, it was hard to find an athlete people were higher on than Kyle Hamilton. He possessed sideline-to-sideline speed and the distinct instincts coveted atthe safety position.
As with most years, he fell into the laps of the Baltimore Ravens, a team that constantly accumulates talent. The Ravens are also known for defensively scheming players in a way to make them highly productive. There’s a chance that Hamilton becomes the steal of the draft, and landing in Baltimore may have made his chances of winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year all but inevitable.
3George Karlaftis, Edge (Chiefs)
Casual NFL fans reading this list may be confused as to why a guy they may have never heard of is this high on this list. George Karlaftis is an edge defender that could serve as the Kansas City Chiefs' primary pass rusher. The NFL preseason proved that the Purdue product could compete in the NFL.
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Chris Jones, an interior defensive lineman for the Chiefs, will likely see the brunt of double teams and game-planning, meaning Karlaftis will almost always have a schematic advantage. Insiders and scouts were shocked he fell in the draft, but it’s clear he’s going to make most of the NFL regret that decision.
2Jaquan Brisker, S (Bears)
The Chicago Bears are a team that has been criticized for not surroundingquarterback Justin Fieldswithout more offensive talent. They drafted two defensive backs in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but both have proved their worth.Jaquan Brisker, a safetyout of Penn State, has flashed true playmaking ability at the position during his brief time in the preseason. It’s clear the Bears want to move him around the field and utilize his dynamic ability, and if he’s able to force turnovers and impact games the way it seems he has the ability to, Brisker could be hoisting that Defensive Rookie of the Year trophy by year’s end.
1Aidan Hutchinson, Edge (Lions)
Few players in the NFL get to experience what Aidan Hutchinson already has. He was born and raised in Michigan, played college football at the University of Michigan, then was drafted to play for the state’s professional NFL team,the Detroit Lions. The 2022 NFL Preseason has showcased his skills translate over to the league, and his apparent lack of true athleticism hasn’t been an issue at all. The fact that he stayed so close to home may prove to be a critical piece in his early success as he doesn’t have to overcome the drastic life and surroundings changes almost every other rookie does.
Madden NFL 23is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
